Brake shafts have been utilized to control power from a positive mechanism (such as a motor) to a negative mechanism (such as a brake). In some instances, the same brake shaft has been utilized for a secondary purpose, such as functioning as an axle for a wheel or a rotary support for a secondary member (such as a winch spool). Most interleaved disk brakes utilize a substantially triangular spline to spline interconnection for their interconnections of the disks to their respective members, shaft, or housing. This spline interconnection typically requires machining or some other additional operation to form the splines. In addition, the tolerances of the splines allow for a measure of movement of the shaft in respect to the housing when the brake is engaged.
One application for brake shafts is as a combined axle and brake mechanism for scissorlifts. An example of this is the hydraulically released spring applied brake mechanism of Genie Industries of Redmond, Washington. However, the cost of this particular unit is sufficiently high that most manufactures of scissorlifts use live axles with separate drum brake mechanisms taken from a small automobile instead. These axle assemblies take hours of time to assemble and install. Others use a split-axle in the back, with the brakes being either thereon or on the motor drive systems of the front wheels.